SUSAN'S SUPPERS

I am excited to announce a new venture for Private affairs Catering ~ starting in September I will be offering a service called Susan’s Suppers . Freshly prepared home cooked food ready to be picked up , heated & enjoyed in the comfort of your home .

With busy schedules starting in the fall ,we hardly have time to complete all that is on our list and usually dinner is just another thing to do !

Make your life easier ! Check out our web site @ www.pvtaffairs.com for my monthly selection of freshly prepared foods. Served in sturdy microwave container,your dinner will be ready in minutes . Tired of fast food ? eating out too expensive ? try our daily meals ~ for tasty fresh & delicious food !

Pick up days will be Monday & Wednesday between 2 PM & 7:30 PM

Place your order online @ www.pvtaffairs.com, send an email @ pvtaffairs@aol.com or call 610 789 9496.

Menu selections will change monthly with weekly specials added.

Deadline for ordering for Monday pick up is Sunday @ 9 PM
Deadline for ordering for Wednesday pickup is Tuesday @ 9 p.m.

Pick up location ~ 5031 Bond Ave. Drexel Hill PA
We accept cash,checks,visa or master card.

Fall Cooking Classes

September is here and with it comes the sound of school buses and the excitement of children going back to school. It was always a exciting time for me .. funny but I love sharp pencils & new white notepads.
I love to learn new things so with that thought in mind I have put together a wonderful list of new cooking classes for the Fall.
It is my favorite time of year. Cool crisp weather begs for comfort foods. Long ,slow simmered vegetables, braised meats, oven roasts, creamy mashed potatoes, sumptuous soups. It is a great time to get out all those pots & pans and cook a wonderful dinner.
If you are looking for some inspiration along with recipes that you will cherish and use over & over~join me in a cooking class! You will enjoy a fun night out filled with laughter, good food & inspiration to go home & cook !
My recipes are easy. I use ingredients you can find in your local markets,and you get to enjoy the meal that I prepare so you can be adventurous & try something new!
Come with a friend and enjoy a great night out and be prepared to be inspired !

Summer's Last Stand

On the way home from the shore we stopped at a roadside farmers market .. it was a tiny shack with a variety of baskets filled with colorful vegetables. I had my pick .. I wandered through the baskets set up outside. A display of assorted peppers caught my eye .. long red Italian hots, something long & purple called holy ~moly , habenaros, pablanos, red ,green, orange bell peppers .I was in pepper heaven. I made my selections and then moved on to the Jersey tomatoes.. so red and fat I could imagine them sliced and laying besides a chunk of creamy mozzarella with ribbons of basil in a bath of extra virgin olive oil!
I then turned my attention to the plump corn .. a dozen of those went into my cart... green beans ,& yellow wax beans were not far behind. White eggplant ~3 for a dollar ! can't beat that !
I picked out plums and apples, yellow watermelon and ripe, fragrant Jersey peaches & nectarines .. my collection of jewels got higher & higher .
It was when I was eyeing up the pumpkins that my husband suggested we wait for that purchase "do you really need pumpkins now ?? "~ "yes"I thought ~but we were out of room .. the car was packed with sandy beach chairs two tired grand kids and enough videos to keep them busy even if we happened to drive to California !
I was thrilled with my purchase. I couldn't wait to go home and cook!
Summer is ending and I think I will miss the Farmers Markets the most!

August Monday

Susan & the cigar man



















August Monday is actually a week long celebration .. a Carnival of sorts,with boat races and festivals held at different beaches all week .It is a kaleidoscope of color , a celebration of life & food.
Our beach was hosting the big boat race on Thursday. The early morning was like any other .. we awoke to the sound of the surf and the sun rising~ casting rays through our bedroom window. The sand was like sugar and the blue of the sea was vibrant & calm. The beach was deserted. We put on our suits and enjoyed a cup of coffee on the porch.

The tents were put up earlier in the week and dotted the shore line . Soon the activity began .. as we were bobbing in the water the first of the big boats arrived.. men in colorful shirts hosting the sails and securing the anchor.Within minutes the bay was dotted with sailboats.. each boat a colorful picture to be taken. Spectator boats began arriving and the waters took on a carnival atmosphere.
The big BBQ grills were light and the smoke and flavors of chicken & ribs was in the air.Island music completed the picture as the beach filled with people,food & song awaiting the horn to start the race.
The mood was electrifying , exciting ~all eyes were on the boats .. magnificent with the sails open and ready to go .. the horn sounded and they were off .. flying through the crystal clear blue water toward the horizon...cheers erupted and everyone watched until they turned the point and were out of sight ... now was the time to get something to eat.
We strode through the sand in bare feet .. walking towards the aromas , licking our chops planning what we would order ... chicken& ribs ,fried salt fish, goat soup, johnny cakes, coleslaw, potato salad ,rice & beans ,rum punch.. we couldn't decide so we got it all .. licking our finger with every mouthful. This was good honest food ~prepared right in front of you. It was out of this world!
The tents were filled with people selling food, drinks, beaded jewelry, a man dressed in a crisp white shirt was selling cigars .. we called him the "Cigar Man " and we bought two even though we don't smoke ! too much fun to pass up ! the atmosphere was wonderful .. everyone was dressed with bright island colors and everyone was as friendly as can be!
This was a time for family reunions on the island so families gathered together to reminisce and cheer for their favorite boast to win.
Soon the boats appeared on the horizon and all eyes turned toward the race! We grabbed our cameras and headed to the shoreline cheering and shouting like everyone else .. it was a close race with boats coming in fast & furious .. the winner was BLUEBIRD coming in from a different angle than the rest !! an unexpected win .. cheering was loud as everyone jumped in the water to congratulate the winner !!!
We grabbed a few more rum punches and headed to our balcony to watch the rest of the festivities. We had a front row seat!
Music played into the night...what an exciting day !
Something never to forget and to look forward to again .. .next August Monday ! In Anguilla !

A little bit of Heaven

Hopefully we all have a little bit of heaven tucked somewhere .. a place where we can go to forget about life's stress & obligations ... a place to totally relax and let our mind wander... a place where we can be ourselves with no one to criticize or comment or offer unwanted advice.

Clint & I have found such a place . It is somewhere that we promise each other we will go to no matter what . It is a place where we relax and just enjoy the company of each other . A place with no schedule ... no deadlines .. no obligations~ our little slice of heaven.

We went to our Slice of Heaven for two weeks this August ... no phone, TV, computer.. just he & I talking , reading ,napping~enjoying each others' company.. gazing out at the sea, listening to the surf , watching the sunset & sunrise ,catching up on idle thoughts .. in other words just relaxing!

This is really important .. everyone should have a little bit of heaven in their life .. if only for a few days .. it makes all the difference in the world !

Music in my Family

I love music I have to admit .. I often write about music as a way to change our moods and get us excited .. my taste varies ~I really do enjoy all sorts of music from rock & roll ,to the standards, oldies too !
I have to say that I have never been musically inclined ... so to speak .. never had the urge to take lessons~ I am just a fan .. but that is not to say that music is not in our family .. quite the opposite!

On my father's side we have a very famous Pianist named Anthony di Bonaventura ~www.tunepiano.com/anthony.htm ~ as a little girl I went to see in him preform in Carnegie Hall .. his brother Mario is a conductor and another brother Sabatino was a music instructor ... I also have a cousin who plays the accordion .. he lives in Italy ~ Emiliano

Emiliano Figliola

... he plays professionally & also another famous cousin~ Daniele diBonaventura www.danieledibonaventura.it/ - plays the Bandoneon, an instrument not widely know here in the states !
My Uncle Funsie played the accordion and my cousin Al has taken up in his footsteps . ..but the most famous and highly talented person I know has to be my brother Stephen .

Stephen started to play the Banjo when he was 12 years old .. he was inspired ,as my mother likes to say , by watching the Beverly Hillbillies on TV. That banjo music created a desire that, to this day is as strong as ever !

Stephen was in the Mummer's String band for years and every New Year's Day had us at the Italian American Club eating & waiting for the band to return so we could celebrate! My brother has a collection of Banjos that is out of this world .. each one designed from a theme.. all hand made !
He plays with a concentration that is intense and we often kid him about giving us a little smile . He has released a few albums and is currently working on another.. and everyone who hears his music is enthralled with it !

Last night he and a few others played in an outdoor venue in Swarthmore .. we picked up my mom & dad , grabbed the lawn chairs and sat in the breezy summer evening enjoying the sounds of light jazz ! there guys were phenomenal ! At one point my husband Clint said it sounded as if more than one banjo was playing at one time ! and only Stephen's fingers were flying across the strings making a unbelievable sound !

I am very proud to have such a talented brother ! and happy to report that music does live in our family !!!

Caponata~ a Great Summer Recipe !

I love the summertime with all the fresh and wonderful produce there is around .. this is one of my favorite recipes.. you can use just about anything from fresh tomatoes to yellow squash in it ! it is great hot or cold and keeps well in the fridge .. I use it for an antipasto or a side dish or even a main course .. sweet & savory at the same time ~it is just tasty and delicious ! hope you enjoy it !

CAPONATA

2 LBS eggplant cubed with skin on
2 zucchini cubed ,skin on
1 large onion chopped
2 ribs celery diced
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 red peppers diced
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tbs. capers
1/2 cup black imported olives
1/2 cup olive oil or more
salt & pepper
1/4 red wine vinegar
2 TBS brown sugar
2 cups marinara sauce

In oil saute peppers, onion , garlic ,celery, zucchini,eggplant till soft .. add more oil if necessary cook for about 15 minutes & then add remaining ingredients ... cook additional 20 to 30 minutes